An In-House Counsel’s Maxims for 2020
By Jenny Patten • December 31, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
Editor's Note: This post from a former Writer's in Residence was featured last year to highlight four maxims for in house counsel lawyers in 2020. I believe that many of these maxims hold for both in house lawyers and Ms. JD community members alike. I encourage our readers to develop their own maxims as we enter 2021. As I prepared for my last column as a Writer in Residence for Ms. JD, I decided to conclude with something that reflects my own personal approach to my in-house practice. Although I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions, every December…
You’ve landed the in-house job, now what?
By Jenny Patten • November 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
Landing a new in-house position can come with an initial feeling of exhilaration, but the change associated with moving to a new company, or moving in-house for the first time, can feel daunting and intimidating. I’ve moved to a few different in-house departments over my decade of practice, and while each organization has been different, I’ve learned a few core maxims that help set myself up for long term success. 1. Expect the unexpected. No matter how much research you’ve done on the company or the industry, or how many people you interviewed with prior to accepting the position, you…
Multi-Tasking Self-Care and Professional Development: Podcasts
By Jenny Patten • October 31, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
Like most working professionals, I spend a significant part of my morning and late afternoon commuting to and from the office. My 30-45 minutes to and from daycare drop-off and the office often are the only time that I have truly to myself, and for a number of years, I’ve spent that time listening to music, participating in work-related conference calls, or using the time to call a friend or family member to catch up. However, as work and family duties and responsibilities have gradually eroded the time I used to spend for myself, I realized that my commute may…
Five Tips to Maximize Your Efficiency When In-House
By Jenny Patten • September 01, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues
When someone asks what in-house practice is like, I often reply that it is like drinking from a firehose. The legal department is the starting and ending point for a lot of projects and issues, and tackling everything that hits your desk without a game plan can feel daunting. While everyone takes a different approach to managing their workload, I’ve outlined a few tips that I’ve initiated during my in-house practice that help me maximize efficiency while in the office. 1. Keep Organized. Staying on top of your various task lists, emails, meeting invites, updates and follow-ups can feel like…
Problems to Solve, or Tensions to Manage?
By Jenny Patten • August 11, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
A few days ago, I ran into a colleague that I hadn’t seen in a few weeks at our company café. As we caught up while standing in line to order our lunches, he commented on the fact that I carry two phones with me and asked why. I explained that I try to keep my personal and work communications separate, and this allows me to “put away” my work texts and emails when I’m spending time with my kids by physically placing my work phone in my purse for a few hours. I admitted that while this tactic had…
You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone: Top Ten Pieces of Wisdom from In-House Mentors
By Jenny Patten • June 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
As I come up on ten years of in-house practice, I’ve started to reflect on my legal practice journey up to this point. From the time I had to hide in the restroom to make a quick call to my outside counsel for confirmation on a particular point of law, seconds before I had to walk into a board meeting, to the closing where I was so exhausted I tripped over my own feet and faceplanted into the floor in front of about 20 executives, I’ve had a lot of memorable moments. Most memorable, though, are the lessons I’ve picked…
Do Your Part: Contributing to Company Culture as Legal Counsel
By Jenny Patten • May 31, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
Over the past couple of months, we’ve explored the importance of company culture in your in-house practice and how to identify whether a company’s culture is the right fit for you. This month’s column wraps up my short series on culture with how in-house counsel can use your unique role within the company to promote positive aspects of your company’s culture. Think about the leadership of your company, or the company you support. While the C-suite executives serve as the formal leaders of the company, you likely have a series of informal leadership within the company as well. These individuals…
Screening for Culture: What to Know Before You Go (In-House)
By Jenny Patten • April 29, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
As a continuation of my short series about in-house practice and culture, this month’s column focuses on how and why company culture is important in an in-house job search. While compensation structure, job duties, and commute may be good threshold evaluation criteria in assessing a potential opportunity, culture fit is an often-overlooked aspect of an in-house legal position that can make or break your success. I understand this may seem like a “first world” consideration. I graduated from law school at the beginning of the recession and remember the stress and anxiety of trying to land a job that allowed…
The Role Client Company Culture Plays in Your Legal Practice
By Jenny Patten • March 29, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues
Over the next few months, my column will explore the role that company culture plays in a successful legal practice. I know…culture. Before your eyes glaze over, though, hear me out. An entire body of literature and best practices exist on the powerful role culture can play in business. Here, we’ll focus on exactly what company culture can mean to you, as counsel, and how focusing on this aspect of your company or client organizations can reap great benefits for your practice. Chances are, if you are in-house, you may have come across your company’s mission, vision and values, or a quixotic set of…